


Wherever We Find Them

by frommybookbook



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: Gen, holiday baking, holiday feels, peggysous (mentioned), the jarvises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-14
Updated: 2016-12-14
Packaged: 2018-09-08 00:33:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8822617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frommybookbook/pseuds/frommybookbook
Summary: She and Edwin may not have any family of their own left in this world, but the Sousa children are enough.





	

She's so immersed in covering the counter in sugar and flour and rolling out the dough that she doesn't notice her husband coming in the front door until he’s dropping his keys into the little bowl on the table in the entryway.

“Ana, darling, I'm home,” Edwin calls.

She continues to roll out the thin squares of pastry.

“What's this?” her husband asks, giving her a kiss on the cheek as he enters the modest kitchen. “Do I spy the beginnings of kolaches?

Ana swats away his hand as he reaches for a pinch of dough.

“Of course you do, you silly man. What else would I be baking this time of year?” she asks.

Content with the smidge of sweet pastry he manages to secure, Edwin smiles at his wife. “I presume these delicious confections are intended for our guests?”

Ana returns his smile. “They are,” she replies, “and seeing as said guests will be here any minute, you should go get ready. I've left everything you'll need in the bedroom.”

At that, Edwin leaves his wife to her baking and heads down the hall to their room.

Left alone, Ana retreats to memories of baking as a girl in Hungary. She recalls picking the sweetest apricots at the market with her brother, helping her grandmother mix and roll out the dough, begging her mother for one last sweet before being tucked into bed.

It amazes her how, decades later, she can remember the Hanukkah preparations down to the last detail. As she pushes the rolling pin across the dough, a single tear runs down her cheek. Her family has been gone for a decade now, but simple acts like baking cookies take her back to the crowded kitchen outside Budapest.

The ringing of the telephone startles her from her reverie, jerking her out of the past and back to the present. “Twenty minutes?” She hums as Chief Sousa answers. “That will be perfect, we'll be ready.”

Ana replaces the phone in the cradle and heads down the hall, stopping to adjust a photo on the wall as she goes. Ever since Mr. Stark left Director Carter in charge of S.H.I.E.L.D., he’s been going abroad more and more and requiring Edwin to travel with him less and less. They'd decided to invest their sizeable nest egg into a home in New Jersey not far from the Sousas.

“Edwin,” she calls as she approaches the bedroom, “that was Chief Sousa. They're just now leaving ... ”

She trails off as she pushes open the door, stifling a laugh at the sight of her husband struggling with a pillow from their bed.

“This is not a laughing matter, darling,” he huffs, muffled by the large beard slipping down his face.

It's all Ana can do to compose herself. “Of course not. What seems to be the trouble?” she asks, crossing the room to help.

Edwin releases his hold on the pillow, giving up the struggle as his wife tucks it in the bright red pants.

“Remind me again why I agreed to this – ” her husband sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose “ –  vibrant exercise in whimsy?”

“Because,” Ana says, “Director Carter told you how much the children wanted to meet Father Christmas.”

At that, Ana can feel the struggle go out of him. She and Edwin may not have any family of their own left in this world, but the Sousa children are enough.

“Of course,” Edwin says, more to himself than his wife. “For the children.”

“Mmhmm, now hand me that,” Ana replies, gesturing to the bed while getting Father Christmas’ padding into place.

“This?” he says incredulously, picking up the girdle. “You can't expect me to wear this.”

“How else do you intend to hold in your ... _stuffing,_ as it were?” she asks as she begins wrapping the device around her slim husband and the plump pillow. “It wouldn't do to have a trim Father Christmas.”

Edwin grumbles something that sounds suspiciously like, “How would you know?” Still, he allows Ana to do up every brass button on the crimson jacket she'd sewn for the occasion.

“There, a picture of merriment,” she says, admiring her work. “Now, come along, Saint Nicholas. Director Carter, Chief Sousa and the children will be arriving soon, and I want you to answer the door.”

“How is it,” her husband begins to ask as they head to the modest sitting room by the front door, “that I'm dressed the fool and yet Mrs. Claus is nowhere to be seen?”

She can't hold her laughter in any longer.

“Really, dear, how would you explain that Mr. and Mrs. Claus have taken up residence in our home with us nowhere to be found?” she manages between giggles. “Master Michael would never believe that for a moment.”

“I suppose you're right,” Edwin huffs. He smiles softly. “The boy is far too bright for his own good.”

As if on cue, the doorbell rings and the Jarvises hear the squeals of small voices on their doorstep. Ana gives her husband a peck on the lips before gently pushing him toward the door. “Now, Mr. Claus, if you’re _very_ good, I have it on good authority that Mrs. Claus made a plate of your favorite cookies ... ”

**Author's Note:**

> As always, all the thanks on earth to [em2mb](http://em2mb.tumblr.com/) for being a wonderful beta, and to [geekruminations](http://geekruminations.tumblr.com/) for organizing this AC advent fun.


End file.
